Unmedicated Births with and Without the Urge to Push, with April Teel

April Teel has had two unmedicated vaginal births, one at a freestanding birth center in southern California and the other at a hospital in North Dakota. Independently of birth setting, the biggest difference in these experiences came down to the pushing stage, with one being actively managed, and the other being completely dictated by her body, allowing her to experience the Fetal Ejection Reflex. Check it out.

 

To listen here, click the play button on the player above, or click the button below to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Play.
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What we talked about:

  • If my mom could do it, so can I
  • And suddenly we were pregnant
  • Finding the right place to birth
  • Contractions and a movie
  • “It’s very important that you get some rest.”
  • That time when you bolted into the birthing center, stripped and got in the tub
  • Fully dilated but no urge to push
  • Push here, push there, push everywhere
  • The hormonal high of meeting her baby!
  • Second birth in a new city
  • The fears of having to do it again
  • Needing to tell someone that it has started!
  • Running into your doctor while in labor at the home improvement store… as one does
  • Stand up and ramp up!
  • A nice car ride with the labor playlist
  • No tub? Walk in, strip, get into the shower
  • Finally at Laborland
  • Needing to push, where is the doctor?
  • The head is born in the caul
  • Her very colicky and alert newborns
  • What would she do differently?

Meeting her second son!

 

April’s resources and links to info mentioned on the show*:

Books:

Leaning over shower chair

 

Related podcast episodes:

Resting in between contractions

 

With her husband and second son

 

Laboring in the glorious birth center tub during her first birth

 

Taking her first son home from the birth center

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All photos courtesy of April Teel

About April Teel

April is a mama to 2 young, busy boys. Her background is in agricultural business, but during her pregnancy and following the birth of her first son she discovered a new passion. She loves all things pregnancy and birth, is a childbirth educator in-training, and hopes to be a future birth worker. April also enjoys running with her boys, spending time with her family, traveling, wine tasting, the sunshine, and watching movies with her husband.

 

 

 

 


 

 

Title music: “Vibe Ace” by Kevin MacLeod, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).

Sponsorship music: “Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).

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